mizutori creates modern Japanese wooden sandals (geta) designed for comfort and everyday wear.
Episode 47
Indigo-Dyed Straps — An Encounter with Craft Studio LaMano
This time,
we would like to share the story behind
one of mizutori’s popular pieces—
geta with straps made from naturally indigo-dyed fabric.
The fabric is dyed by
Craft Studio LaMano.
Founded in 1992,
LaMano is a workshop created as a place
where people who find it difficult to work in conventional settings
can engage in meaningful and fulfilling work.
Located in Machida, Tokyo,
surrounded by greenery,
the studio is set in a rich natural environment.
There, they focus on dyeing with natural materials, hand weaving,
and creative work in their atelier.
At times, they go for walks,
tend to their fields,
or gather plants used as dye materials.
From the accumulation of such moments,
each piece is born.
When we first visited,
it felt unlike any workshop we had seen before—
there was a certain softness in the air.
The space, created within a traditional Japanese house,
allowed the breeze to pass through,
with greenery stretching all around.
The moment we stepped inside,
we clearly remember feeling, quite simply,
how comfortable it was.
There,
people with diverse characteristics
engaged in making things
at their own pace,
with a sense of vitality.
Within this environment,
some individuals have discovered and developed their talents—
holding exhibitions
and presenting and selling their works as art.
Encountering this,
we realized that our own perspective
may have been somewhat limited.
That everyone holds potential.
And that everyone has the freedom
to enjoy art and craft.
LaMano’s work
quietly reminded us of these simple truths.
We felt that more people
should come to know about places like this.
With that thought,
our collaboration began—
through the material itself.
At mizutori,
we use tenugui cloth
dyed through traditional indigo methods.
Each piece is dyed by hand,
and so the depth of color,
the way it spreads and settles,
differs ever so slightly.
And it is precisely these differences
that give each pair its own character—
a quality unique to handwork.
Cloth dyed in a gentle environment,
created while honoring each individual’s uniqueness.
That cloth came together with mizutori’s geta,
forming something new.
We hope that the texture felt beneath your feet
will bring a quiet sense of comfort
into your daily life.
Through encounters,
craft continues to expand.
This is something
we have come to feel once again
through this experience.
